The Comparative Rate of Absorption of Some Natural Fats

Abstract

A procedure for recovery of fat from the gastrointestinal tract is described in which the average recovery for various fats in eight of the nine series of tests exceeds 90%. When the same quantities of hydrogenated cottonseed oil were administered to rats of widely varying weights, the amount absorbed is considerably greater in the large rats. However, most uniform results are obtained when the comparison of absorption is made on the basis of body surface area. In rats of similar size, the quantity of fat absorbed increases somewhat when increased amounts are fed. No consistent differences in the rate of absorption of hydrogenated cottonseed oil, “wintered” cottonseed oil, butter fat, or coconut oil were noted. In most cases the rate of absorption lay between 40 and 50 mg. per 100 sq.cm. per hour in experiments of 3, 4½ and 6 hours duration. However, the absorption of rape-seed oil was somewhat slower, the maximum differences being noted in the 6-hour tests where values of 30.0 and 26.2 mg. were obtained on groups of male and female rats respectively.